Rukky Sanda needs little or no introduction in the entertainment industry. In this interview with TOPE OLUKOLE, she speaks about her life, career, among others. Excerpts:

Would you say you are fulfilled as an actress?There are times I ask myself if this is actually what I want to do forever. My conclusion is, I don’t know yet; but right now, I think it’s still fun. I may later change my mind but right now, this is what I want to do. I have dabbled into production and so far, I have written and produced two movies.

What is your highest pay since you’ve become a professional actress?
The first movie I did back then in 2004, I think I was paid N40,000 and it was paid in two installments. But now, things have changed for the better, because you can’t go to location without collecting your full pay.

How are you coping with your male admirers considering your beauty?
Well, I try to be nice to all and as well, try not to be too friendly. For those who insist on getting too personal, I always tell them that there is somebody in my life. But in spite of the fact that I let them realise this, they still go ahead saying what they want. But God has been helping me.

Do you believe in love?
I do believe in love but sometimes it’s just hard to figure it out. I don’t believe in fairy tale love. I wish it exists and I could have it, but sadly, the Cinderella love stories belong only in the movies.

So what does love mean to you?
Love is generally about caring for someone unconditionally, regardless of what the situation is. Love means being true, caring for the person no matter what the situation is.

How far can you go for love?
I can give anything apart from my life

What is the craziest thing you ever did for love?
Can I say this, because it’s really crazy. Anyway, it was baby love. Actually, it happened when I was a young girl. There was this boy in my school, he was so cute and I actually stalked him. It was so crazy that I just wanted to have him at all cost. There was a time I went to a particular location where he used to hang out just to catch a glimpse of him. Now, when I flash back, I can’t believe I did that. Eventually, when we became friends, I realised that he wasn’t really that cute. I now said to myself that maybe I was blind or something might have been wrong with me before chasing him around. I later told him how much I had stalked him and what I passed through just to have him.

When did you first fall in love?
There were people I liked at a point but I can’t call that love. Now, I feel love for my goddaughters and family, but nothing like erotic love.

So there is nobody giving you the butterflies right now?
I only have them for my goddaughters. We all dreamt of fairy tale romance when we were younger but there is nothing like butterflies flying in your tummy for anybody. It’s not real. I am a very emotional person but all those fairy tales are fake. I did not know that being in a relationship could be so hard for most of us who are in the entertainment industry.

Which was the rumour told about you that hit you most?
It’s amazing to know that some people just sit down and frame up stories to defame you. The one that hit me most was that of D’banj and Mercy Johnson. I still continue to wonder till date how that story came up because when I read it, the only truth I saw in it was the spelling of my name, nothing more. Well, God is watching the peddlers of such stories and He is patiently waiting to punish them. I don’t bother my head about stories like that and I don’t even read them. I don’t want to read any gossip about me, because I don’t want my attention to be distracted. The people who know me well don’t even bother telling me anything they read about me because they know I don’t want to know.

You seem to have love for tattoo
I did all my tattoos about 10 years ago. If it were to be now, I doubt if I could have any of them on my body.

Do you have any biological child?
No! I only said I have goddaughters.

Where do we expect Rukky to be in the next five years?
I am not going anywhere for now. I am going to be consistent and do all that is necessary to remain relevant in Nollywood and beyond.

Do you cook?
No. It’s not that I don’t know how to cook, but I am not really this food person. The last time I cooked, if I am not mistaken, was during the fasting period because my mum wasn’t around then.

What’s your favourite food?
I eat prawns, fish and snails. I don’t eat rice, eba and other starchy foods.

How do you relax?
I go to the spa. I don’t have a particular beauty routine other than going to the spa because I don’t like to touch my face, so I don’t do facials and all sorts.

With your kind of beauty, why don’t you model?
I don’t think I have the right figure for modelling but I don’t mind billboards or photography modelling.

Who are those you look up to in Nollywood as role models?
I have many of them. I admire Liz Benson a lot. I love the way she carries herself and the way she interprets her roles. Genevieve is wonderful, I love Olu Jacobs and some others.

Your coming in to Nollywood has not been long, would you say your beauty contributed to your getting to the top so fast?
I am one of the laziest people in Nollywood. A lot of people have pointed this fact to me and I have come to the realisation that it’s actually true. The beauty may be part of it but I think everything works together. If you are not good at what you do, there is no way you can keep getting jobs and there is no way you can get to the top. Beauty is not forever, you have to combine it with the talent. Also, we can’t get every role based on our looks.